The hottest E-commerce Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

What happened in marketing: Reddit is profitable, Amazon edges Google and ChatGPT search launches

The Social Juice • 29 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
💼 Business Marketing Finance E-commerce Tech AI
  1. Reddit is now making money and is considered profitable. This is an important shift for the platform.
  2. Amazon is performing better than Google in some areas, showing a competitive edge in the market.
  3. ChatGPT has introduced a new search feature, which signifies the growing role of AI in online searches.

What happened in marketing: TikTok is confused, Pinterest grows and Meta improves ad formats

The Social Juice • 26 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
💼 Business Marketing Social media Advertising Technology E-commerce
  1. TikTok is seeing good revenue growth even with the threat of being banned in the U.S. This shows that they are still strong in the market.
  2. Pinterest is growing, which suggests that users are finding value in its unique content. It's important for marketers to consider this platform.
  3. Meta is improving its ad formats, which could help businesses reach their audiences better. This may lead to more effective advertising strategies.

What’s up with…? - Part 1: Temu

Tech Buzz China Insider • 139 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💼 Business E-commerce Market Expansion Promotion Logistics Profitability
  1. Pinduoduo's cross-border platform Temu experienced rapid growth, reaching impressive sales numbers and expanding to new markets with strong user retention rates.
  2. Temu heavily invested in marketing and promotion, with a significant budget allocation for advertising and user acquisition, showcasing a focus on market expansion and customer reach.
  3. Logistics played a vital role in Temu's operations, with a well-defined shipping strategy to ensure timely deliveries and a wide product range provided by a large network of suppliers.

Stock Talk

Jon’s Newsletter • 79 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
💰 Finance Stocks Market Trends Investment E-commerce Cryptocurrency
  1. Stocks are on the rise, and analysts are adjusting their forecasts upward for the S&P 500. Staying invested long-term is advised, as it seems there’s still room for growth.
  2. If the S&P 500 performs well in January and February, historical data shows it usually continues to do well for the rest of the year. This makes the start of 2024 look promising.
  3. Amazon’s clothing sales are expected to grow significantly, potentially reaching $100 billion. This shows Amazon is successfully expanding in the fashion market, which usually has higher profit margins.
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Temu: from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months

Tech Buzz China Insider • 179 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
💼 Business E-commerce Marketing Logistics Expansion Business strategy
  1. Temu rapidly grew from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months, expanding to around 20 countries and focusing on aggressive social media campaigns and expensive Super Bowl advertising.
  2. Shifting its focus to household and personal care products substantially increased Temu's average order value, as about half of Temu's suppliers were manufacturers and the other half were traders.
  3. Temu is putting pressure on staff, logistics partners, and merchants, shifting costs to merchants and increasing pressure to lower prices, resulting in a current loss rate of 60% despite significant gross margins.

Best layoffs of the year

SuperJoost Playlist • 158 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
💼 Business Layoffs Gaming AI E-commerce Blockchain
  1. Widespread job cuts for short-term profits can hurt innovation and diversity in industries.
  2. Reducing costs through layoffs can improve profitability in the short term, but may harm long-term innovation and diversity.
  3. Layoffs in the gaming industry can hinder new talent entry, reduce diversity, and push innovation to smaller, riskier firms.

Amazon's $43B ad business, explained

SatPost by Trung Phan • 329 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
💼 Business Advertising E-commerce Digital Tech Investing
  1. Amazon's ad business has grown significantly, reaching a revenue run rate of $43 billion annually, surpassing other social media platforms.
  2. Amazon's shift towards embracing ads was influenced by the need to reduce dependence on Google search slots and utilize its valuable first-party transaction data.
  3. Amazon ads have become highly profitable and could rival its AWS business in terms of generating absolute profits, signaling a significant shift in the digital advertising landscape.

معرفی چهار ابزار که هر تولید کننده محتوایی برای کسب درآمد لازم دارد

DiGiTalk Newsletter • 157 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
💼 Business Content creation Monetization Digital marketing E-commerce
  1. Learn how tools like Canva, ChatGPT, Notion, and Gumroad can help content creators generate income.
  2. Success with these tools comes from understanding and utilizing their features effectively.
  3. Resources are available to help creators learn and make the most of these tools.

Whatever happened to New Retail?

Tech Buzz China Insider • 139 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce Marketing Strategies Digital innovation
  1. The hype around new retail concepts like unmanned stores has faced challenges and closures in China, with many players struggling to sustain their businesses due to competition and limited product offerings.
  2. Alibaba experimented with unmanned store concepts like Tao Café and Tmall Future Store but did not fully roll out unmanned shops, possibly indicating doubts about the concept's success.
  3. Despite initial enthusiasm and investment in unmanned stores, many companies faced bankruptcies and closures, with challenges around labor costs, limited product offerings, and competition from conventional convenience stores.

The long and winding road of TikTok Shop

Tech Buzz China Insider • 99 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce Logistics Platforms
  1. TikTok expanded its e-commerce business internationally, but faced challenges with live commerce in Western markets like the UK due to cultural differences and difficulty in replicating the success seen in China.
  2. There were issues with long delivery times, poor customer service, and cultural clashes within TikTok's e-commerce division in the UK, causing difficulties and staff turnover.
  3. Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms are encountering challenges abroad due to changing regulations, such as increased postage costs, compliance requirements, and consumer protection concerns.

UX Roundup: Cookie Banners Waste Time | Building AI Infrastructure | Bigger AI Training Clusters | AI Avatar Keynote Summary

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 11 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🕹 Technology User Experience E-commerce Digital Media Data Privacy
  1. Cookie consent banners waste a huge amount of time for users, costing billions in productivity. Most people ignore them or find them useless.
  2. NVIDIA's approach to building AI infrastructure allows for significantly faster performance improvements compared to traditional methods, promising exciting advancements in AI capabilities.
  3. Virtual try-on technology is becoming more accessible, allowing users to see how clothes look on them without needing a photoshoot, which can change the shopping experience.

The Health of the US Consumer: A DataScore Interview with NielsenIQ

The Data Score • 59 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Data-driven Decision Making Consumer behavior E-commerce Market Trends
  1. The health of the US consumer in 2024 is complex, influenced by both tailwinds and headwinds, with different consumer cohorts showing varied spending behaviors.
  2. Low-income consumers are spending a higher percentage of their income on e-commerce, indicating potential shifts in spending habits influenced by factors like age demographics and value-seeking behavior.
  3. Analysis of specific industries like travel, home improvement, pet products, and fast fashion reveals changing consumer behaviors, highlighting trends such as a shift to home-related spending and considerations for subscription services like online streaming and pet supply shopping.

Redefining Fresh: Alibaba's Freshippo and the New Frontier in Grocery Business

Tech Buzz China Insider • 119 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
💼 Business Retail E-commerce Supply Chain Revenue model
  1. Freshippo utilizes Alibaba's big data to make strategic decisions such as new store locations.
  2. Freshippo has multiple revenue streams with its primary operations focused on its original brand, Freshippo, and membership-driven hypermarkets.
  3. Freshippo aims to increase private label SKUs and profit margins, particularly through supply chain optimization and new store formats.

Invecchiare al tempo della rete: conversazione con Massimo Mantellini

Vincos Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🕹 Technology AI Social media E-commerce Search Engines Streaming platforms
  1. In the world of technology, the impact of aging in a youthful online environment is an interesting topic to explore.
  2. Marketing experts continue to develop strategies despite economic uncertainties, emphasizing the need to adapt and innovate.
  3. Recent developments in social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok highlight the evolving landscape of features and functionalities to enhance user experiences.

Redefining the Future of the Creator Economy

The New Internet by Jeff Morris Jr. • 10 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
💼 Business Creator Economy Venture Capital Software Development Entrepreneurship E-commerce
  1. The creator economy has exploded since 2019, allowing many artists and influencers to turn their online popularity into profitable businesses. They create content, build audiences, and find various ways to earn money.
  2. Investors are shifting focus from traditional 'creator stack' platforms to supporting creators directly. This new model involves investing in creators for a share of their future earnings, recognizing that creators could also build software and tech businesses.
  3. Advancements in AI are changing how creators work, enabling them to create software without big teams. More creators are moving towards building apps and software products, expanding beyond just making content.

The rebirth of Xiaohongshu

Tech Buzz China Insider • 159 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce Marketing Influencers Live Streaming User Experience
  1. Xiaohongshu has significantly changed its user profile and doubled its monthly active users since mid-2020.
  2. The platform's monetization strategy has shifted, focusing on new advertising formats and easier ways for content creators to monetize.
  3. Balancing commercialization and user experience remains a key challenge for Xiaohongshu.

The video that changed how I think about making money | #37

The Pole • 79 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investing E-commerce AI Websites
  1. Seeking ownership in businesses can lead to higher financial success.
  2. Outsourcing parts of a business can reduce workload and increase profit, but owning and managing it all can generate more revenue.
  3. Considering private equity and flipping websites can be lucrative ventures, offering opportunities for growth and financial gains.

Alibaba Cainiao: Delivering Innovation, Globally?

Tech Buzz China Insider • 99 implied HN points • 26 May 23
💼 Business Logistics E-commerce Technology Market Share Investment
  1. Cainiao has transitioned to operating its own logistics services both domestically and internationally, focusing on Tmall flagship stores and aims for growth despite significant losses.
  2. Alibaba's e-commerce platforms lead the express business market with over 45% share by parcel volume, followed by JD, Pinduoduo, Douyin, and Kuaishou, shaping the competitive landscape.
  3. Cainiao is not a traditional top logistics company in the courier market, with its unique approach and focus on enhancing logistics efficiency through technology.

Gumroad Wallet, A $100M Opportunity

Money in Transit • 58 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
💼 Business E-commerce Digital Products Payment processing Network Effects Startups
  1. Gumroad might be missing out on a $100 million opportunity by not leveraging creators' transactions within the platform efficiently.
  2. Digital wallets could revolutionize Gumroad's business model, allowing for direct transactions and lower fees for creators.
  3. Gumroad's pricing structure change indicates a need to evolve in the face of rising competition and changing economic landscapes.

The future of creator-led brands

Cosmos • 39 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
💼 Business Creator Economy Content creation E-commerce
  1. Creators are becoming key leaders in brands, partnering with them to launch products and enhance storytelling.
  2. Top creator educators on platforms like YouTube are generating significant revenue from their content, building substantial businesses.
  3. Major platforms like Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok are actively engaging in partnerships and initiatives to empower creators and enhance their offerings.

Community Group Buying: the ‘US military vs the Red Army’

Tech Buzz China Insider • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business E-commerce Market Analysis Competition Profitability
  1. Community group buying market in China is highly competitive, with Meituan and Pinduoduo leading the way. Meituan is compared to the 'US military' and Pinduoduo to the 'Red Army.'
  2. Demand for community group buying has increased by 30-40% post-pandemic, driven by low prices and consumption downgrade trends.
  3. Duoduo Maicai, Pinduoduo's CGB business, has shown significant growth and profitability, leveraging its main app's high traffic volume and cost-efficient product offerings.

Greenlist Decarbonizes Online Retail Returns

Warming Up to Climate Tech • 78 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability E-commerce Retail Technology Innovation
  1. Greenlist enables peer-to-peer returns, reducing carbon footprint and connecting customers with out-of-stock inventory.
  2. Retail returns cost over $800 billion annually and contribute to pollution, but Greenlist cuts costs and waste by reducing miles traveled and promoting packaging reuse.
  3. Founder Jess Owens prioritizes sustainability, aiming to make a positive impact on the planet despite challenges in fundraising and market adoption.

How Jeff Bezos saw the world 25 years ago.

Jon’s Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 11 Dec 22
💼 Business E-commerce Entrepreneurship Technology Innovation Marketing
  1. Jeff Bezos recognized early on that the internet was growing rapidly, with web usage increasing by 2,300% a year. He used this opportunity to start Amazon as an online bookstore.
  2. Bezos believed that capturing people's attention was crucial. He focused on providing innovative services that added real value, which helped Amazon grow mainly through word of mouth instead of paid ads.
  3. He viewed the late 20th century as a unique time for innovation, comparing the beginnings of e-commerce to the 'Kitty Hawk' stage of flight. He felt excited about the possibilities for the future.

1/25/2024: PayPal's *Innovation Event*

depression2022 • 39 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Technology Finance Stock Market E-commerce Innovation
  1. PayPal announced new innovations at an event, like a one-click checkout product and making Venmo more business-friendly.
  2. The stock initially rose but then fell after the announcement, indicating mixed reactions from the world.
  3. The new CEO highlighted the potential for improvement by implementing simple, customer-focused changes, which could positively impact PayPal's business.